# A dishwasher "senses" how dirty dishes are? How?
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109
**Category:** Factual Questions
**Created:** [October 4, 2023, 5:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109 "2023-10-04T17:44:34Z")
**Posts on this page:** 12
**Page:** 3
### Author:  [@jjakucyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjakucyk)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/41 "2023-10-09T13:23:27Z")
> [@needscoffee](#):
>
> When my friend remodeled his kitchen, he put in 2 dishwashers. I asked him why, as he lived alone and didn’t often entertain crowds. He said it was so he’d never have to empty the dishwasher. He just used clean dishes out of one dishwasher and loaded them into the other.
Your friend is my spirit animal.
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### Author:  [@sb1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sb1953)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 2:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/42 "2023-10-09T14:11:24Z")
I have tried so many ways to clean out the inside of those flat spray arms and if I get a piece of sliced almond in there it refuses to come out. Hock!
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### Author:  [@Chefguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chefguy)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/43 "2023-10-09T14:26:24Z")
The dishwasher in this apartment is lucky to sense that the “on” button has been pushed.
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### Author:  [@gnarator](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gnarator)
#### Post date: [October 9, 2023, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/44 "2023-10-09T15:53:12Z")
I took it off the machine, and tried to back blow it with water. I also had a large pipe cleaner and cleaned the jets.
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### Author:  [@kanicbird](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kanicbird)
#### Post date: [October 13, 2023, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/45 "2023-10-13T13:06:54Z")
It’s a Hobart LXiH ML-130017 installed in 2007, however I can’t see anywhere where it says you don’t need detergent (as you state you don’t use rinse agent, but could). I guess we might be doing it wrong, though at least they are sanitized and do come out looking clean.
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### Author:  [@Nightaudit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightaudit)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2023, 4:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/46 "2023-10-14T04:36:45Z")
Psssss! I’m pretty sure that you’re supposed to be using detergent, de-spotting agent, and weak sanitiser for hot water machines…
> **[F34779.pdf](https://www.hobart.com.mx/pdf/ManualOper/F34779.pdf)**
>
> 956.89 KB
Also you should be running a De-limeing cycle every month or two…. And don’t forget to take the time to clean the inside… instructions in the pdf linked to above.
In your case you can get the correct chemicals at an Acemart or other local restaurant/ bar supply place.
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### Author:  [@Nightaudit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nightaudit)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2023, 4:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/47 "2023-10-14T04:43:31Z")
😁 I do this with just one dish washer… dirty gets pre washed in sink and once the machine is less than 1/8 full; I’ll put up whatever is left in there… then refill it and run accordingly…
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### Author:  [@bob\_2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bob_2)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2023, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/48 "2023-10-14T11:46:49Z")
Commercial dishwashers usually have a built-in reservoir of detergent which you may not have been aware of.
The ones my employers used to manufacture had a space for a (5-gallon?) container at the bottom. When it ran out, it was replaced.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 14, 2023, 1:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/49 "2023-10-14T13:31:31Z")
> [@bob\_2](#):
>
> When it ran out, it was replaced.
Slight extension / correction here if I may …
> When it ran out it ~~was~~ should be replaced. _If_ the employees are trained to know to do that.
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### Author:  [@Digger11](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Digger11)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2023, 2:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/50 "2023-10-15T02:26:20Z")
> [@Omar\_Little](#):
>
> My wife pretty much washes the dishes by hand before putting them in the dishwasher, which is how they are sanitized. It’s just easier not to argue.
When I encountered my first dishwasher about 30 years ago (before then, my family lived in old houses that didn’t have such things), I was quite surprised to learn that the very name “dishwasher” is 90% a misnomer. It would be far more accurate to call them “dishrinsers,” because unless you pre-wash the dishes, they simply don’t get clean in the machine.
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### Author:  [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2023, 2:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/51 "2023-10-15T02:29:12Z")
That might have been true of old machines in old houses 30 years ago. It’s certainly not true of modern machines now.
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### Author:  [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)
#### Post date: [October 15, 2023, 12:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/a-dishwasher-senses-how-dirty-dishes-are-how/991109/52 "2023-10-15T12:37:10Z")
Yeah, as I said above, they’re almost miraculous in how well they work. I can stick an encrusted casserole dish in my dishwasher and it comes out looking brand new, cleaner than even if I hand washed it.
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